Samuel Adams celebrates craft initiative with collaborative packs

Boston Brewery will launch a series of collaborative editions of Samuel Adams beer, after teaming up with a handful of US craft brewers.

The limited-edition packs each contain 12 beers and are the result of Sam Adams’ partnership with five smaller breweries. The packs, known as Brewing the American Dream Collaboration Packs, will be available from later this month.

They include beers from Roc Brewing (Rochester, New York); Bosque Brewing (Albuquerque, New Mexico); ChuckAlek Independent Brewers (Ramona, California); Woods Beer (San Francisco, California); and Brewery Rickoli (Wheat Ridge, Colorado).

All the breweries are part of Brewing the American Dream – Sam Adams’ signature philanthropic programme – and have benefitted from a share of almost $1 million which the scheme has handed out to small brewers since it began.

Boston Brewery said the beers are a celebration of ‘the collaborative spirit’ of craft beer.

They’re a welcome antidote to the usual competitiveness of the craft beer segment, with smaller breweries outspoken about the threat posed by multinationals in recent weeks. At the end of June, the US Brewers Association took aim at ‘big beer’ by launching a new craft seal, followed by a similar independent label from The UK’s Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA).

Samuel Adams is signed up to the US Brewers Association scheme, but, despite holding on to a craft positioning, is now available in more than 20 countries with annual revenue of $906 million.

Sam Adams founder and brewer Jim Koch said: “This pack represents the independent spirit, passion and collaboration that is core to our craft beer industry. We’re proud to have collaborated with these creative and passionate brewers in a way that allows us to continue to pay it forward and empower fellow independent craft brewers to be successful and to grow.”

The collaboration 12-packs will be available across the US for a limited time beginning later this month, with a suggested retail price between $16.99 and $19.99.

The collaboration beers in full:

ThreeNinety Bock (Roc Brewing): A slightly roasted Maibock with a sweet toffee and light caramel flavour, crafted from four hop varieties, combined with rye malt and oak smoked malt. Founder Chris Spinelli said that Sam Adams’ support had helped it grow ‘from a home brew hobby to a fast-paced brewery’ in just six years.

Desert Kaleidoscope IPA (Bosque Brewing): A deep amber, medium-bodied brew with a bold and hoppy aroma that pays homage to the Albuquerque balloon fiesta and features a mixture of flavours including citrus, tangerine, pine and honey malt.

Time Hop Porter (ChuckAlek Independent Brewers): A porter with strong notes of citrus and pine that are balanced by a smooth, roasted malt character. Founder and brewer Grant Fraley said: “We were at a cross roads with our brewery when we met with Jim Koch, and after our conversations we knew exactly where to take the business. When we opened our second location in 2016 we saw over 300% growth in revenue.”

Boston Tea Party Saison (Woods Beer Co): A ‘bi-coastal’ twist on the classic Belgian style, combining Woods’s yerba maté-infused saison with Sam Adams’ wild yeast blend, Kosmic Mother Funk. A loan from the Sam Adams programme helped Woods Beer build a brewpub and four tasting rooms.

Oats McGoats Stout (Brewery Rickoli): An American stout based on brewer Rick Abitbol’s commitment to full-flavoured, gluten-reduced beers. Full-bodied, moderately carbonated and accented by earthy, spicy flavours with a hint of roasted coffee. Abitbol says the brewery wouldn’t have got off the ground without Sam Adams’ support.